Shaquille O'Neal's out for the regular season and probably a significant chunk of the playoffs, depending on how his thumb heals and his conditioning. But what does that mean for Cleveland and their title hopes?

All right, toss out the regular season. The Cavs have a six-game lead on the rest of the East, the best player in the NBA, a deep team regardless and they play in the Eastern Conference. Even in a worst-case scenario they fall to number two in the East behind Orlando, which actually might work out better for them.

The regular season doesn't matter, but the postseason does. Let's take a look at the teams they could end up facing and how Shaq's absence could affect things. We'll assume three things. One, Zydrunas Ilgauskas re-signs with Cleveland, since even with him supposedly "mulling it over," odds are he comes back "home." And two, we'll assume Shaq is not available until the Eastern Conference Finals. He could be back as early as the end of the first round, but we'll go ahead and assume a moderate-case scenario, factoring in conditioning. Three, we'll assume the Raptors get the fifth seed because of their offense and get bounced in the first round because of their defense.

Let's start with the first round of the playoffs.

It's a new era in Charlotte, though little on the court will change. Michael Jordan has successfully purchased the Bobcats, an NBA team he has essentially run for three years now. Jordan became an equity partner in 2006, taking over basketball operations, which meant implementing his own front office (led by old friend Rod Higgins).

The growth was slow, but for the first time in the six-season history of the club, the Bobcats are in a legitimate hunt for the playoffs. (As of this writing, Charlotte is a half-game out of the eighth and final seed in the East.) Moves by Jordan's front office -- the hiring of Larry Brown in 2008, the signing of Gerald Wallace to a contract extension two years ago, the trade for Stephen Jackson in a Golden State salary dump earlier this season -- put the team here. And while Charlotte holds an atrocious contract or two (DeSagana Diop, Jackson in a couple years' time) and blew a top-three pick (Adam Morrison, 2006) under Jordan's watch, this is what progress looks like.

There have been complaints that Jordan is an absentee boss, spending more time on golf courses, in cigar rooms, at galas celebrating the industry of Jordan than at the arena. But that's not necessarily a bug in the NBA -- it can be a feature, provided you surround yourself with smart cookies. Higgins, again, has had mixed results. But MJ trusts him, and he works well with Brown (a must), and it's come together.

Michael Jordan has struck a deal to buy controlling interest of the Charlotte Bobcats, taking charge of the money-losing team in his home state.

Traci Blunt, a spokeswoman for owner Bob Johnson, told The Associated Press that Jordan was able to put together an ownership group late Friday to buy the team he has been a part-owner of since 2006. Jordan has been running the team's basketball operations.

The purchase price was not immediately available.

Former Houston Rockets executive George Postolos also bid on the Bobcats. The NBA's owners still must approve the purchase.

The deal will end Johnson's largely unsuccessful stint as the first black majority owner of a major professional sports team.

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The Bobcats will have a new unofficial team owner this week -- possibly even today -- reports Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Your next question, if you took Journalism 101, and assuming you care about the ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats, which I shouldn't assume as a given, in any event, your next question would be: whom is buying the Bobcats? Good question! Let me get back to you!

In all likelihood, it seems the bid of one George Postolos, a former Rockets exec integral in both the construction and financing of the Toyota Center and involved in Yao Ming's American transition, will be the successful nod. Michael Jordan, that Michael Jordan, erstwhile (ha!) basketball ops boss and minority owner of the Bobcats, had the option to buy the Bobcats if founding owner Robert Johnson chose to sold. Varying accounts gave Jordan 30 or 60 days to come up with an offer matching that of Team Postolos.

Maybe MJ has been successful, though Bonnell reports Jordan had still been working on adding investors this week, which implies he's had some trouble getting the financing put together. But for those who want nothing more than a Jordan-run NBA team, MJ appearances at Board of Governors meeting, and a new one-man Competition Committee ... well, we've got hope, man.

For months we've speculated on where Tyrus Thomas will wind up after the twisting winds of the deadline cease swirling. Houston, New York, Sacramento, all manner of places have been logged as potential destinations for the frustratingly talented young forward. After both Scott Skiles and Vinny Del Negro abandoned hope for the athletic power forward, it was unclear if he would have enough trade value left to garner interest.

According to CBSSports.com's Ken Berger, the interest was enough... from the Charlotte Bobcats.

The trade involves the 'Cats giving up quite the treasure trove for Thomas. Young point guard Acie Law IV, Flip Murray, and a protected first round pick, all for a player that is currently coming off the bench to back up Taj Gibson. Additionally, the trade of Murray depletes the Bobcats' guard depth, meaning D.J. Augustin is unlikely to be moved before the NBA's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline. It leaves the 'Cats very thin at guard. However, with Nazr Mohammed and Tyson Chandler the only rebounding big men on the squad (and Boris Diaw if the sun shines just right), the Cats were determined to add another big.

The question is how Thomas will respond to notoriously grumpy head coach Larry Brown. The fourth year man out of LSU isn't exactly known for being a ray of sunshine, and Brown won't exactly soothe the beast considering he's a backup forward with an expiring contract.

The Bulls on the other hand, clear more room, pick up a few extra components to add to their backcourt depth, and possibly make room for a Kirk Hinrich trade for Tracy McGrady. Lot of moves going on, and you have to wonder if this was a setup move for one or both of the teams.

If Michael Jordan managed to purchase the Charlotte Bobcats, it may not be great for the franchise. It may, in fact, be terrible. But it will be interesting, and that's all I -- an unbiased observer -- can ask for, right?

Larry Brown, Jordan's hand-picked Tar Heel product of a coach, told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer that faced with a deadline MJ is indeed attempting to build a bid for the Bobcats. Founding owner Robert Johnson, who brought Jordan in as a minority partner and president of basketball operations several years ago, is on the verge of selling the team.

Rumors last month indicated well-respected former Rockets exec George Postolos had made Johnson an acceptable offer. As a part of his previous transaction with Johnson, Jordan is said to have a window of time in which he can match a prospective buyer's bid. Published reports differ on the length of that window, but April seems to be the latest possible scenario in which the team changes hands.

DALLAS -- Nate Robinson became the first player in history to win three Slam Dunk titles, capturing his third on Saturday night by defeating DeMar DeRozan in the 2010 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.

Robinson's final-round dunk that clinched victory was an impressive, two-handed reverse that he converted after lobbing the ball to himself off the backboard and catching it in mid-air.

Robinson had some decoration for his final attempt, and it came in the form of four Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. He invited them out not to use as props, but to celebrate the city hosting the festivities.

"We were in Dallas, so right when they said I was in it, I was like, I've got to be creative," Robinson said. "I've got to think of something fast, and I'm a football guy, so I see them all the time -- especially on that big JumboTron, you can't miss 'em. I was like, why not? We're in Dallas, so just pay homage to them."

After successfully throwing down his last dunk, Robinson grabbed the cheerleaders' pompoms and celebrated by shaking them over his head, Terrell Owens-style.

DALLAS -- Many fans were thrilled when Gerald Wallace was selected to appear in this year's dunk contest. The way he attacks the rim makes him a natural for the event, and after all, it has been eight years since he last participated. But after hearing him talk about it in the following video, it would be somewhat reasonable for everyone to lower their expectations.

Don't get me wrong, Wallace is definitely happy to be in Dallas -- it's just that he seems more content than he does hungry. Now in his ninth season, Wallace seems to be simply taking the overall experience in stride.

Video of our discussion can be seen below.

ORLANDO -- When he signed as a free agent this summer, power forward Brandon Bass thought he would become the final -- and very integral -- piece to help the Orlando Magic win a championship.

He has turned into the missing piece, all right. As in, missing from the lineup. The defending Eastern Conference champions have been moving forward mostly without him.

"I felt in my heart this was the right place for me,'' Bass said Thursday after practice. "When I signed, it just felt right – but it's not going right, (right) now. I'm not playing, and that's bad.''

Bass signed a four-year, $16 million contract this summer, rejecting a more lucrative offer to stay in Dallas, and other opportunities in New Orleans, Charlotte and Portland.

But instead of contributing, he mostly has watched others, playing in only 28 of the 49 games, averaging just 13.3 minutes, 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 rebounds in a much smaller role than he anticipated.

The Magic wanted him for front-court depth, giving them a physical presence to help center Dwight Howard, an option beyond a lineup with mostly 3-point shooters.

It just hasn't happened.

Last summer, former Rockets exec George Postolos made a bid to purchase the Bobcats from fleeing founding owner Robert Johnson. It didn't work out, but rumors persisted that Johnson was ready to take bids. Well, Postolos is back and, according to ESPN's Ric Bucher, has an offer Johnson will accept. The hitch? Minority owner (and prez of basketball operations) Michael Jordan recently negotiated a right to match any offer. So the sale is on hold until the end of February, at which point MJ can match the bid, purchasing the Bobcats from Johnson, or allow Postolos to take over.

Complicating matters, according to Bucher, is that Postolos does not plan on keeping MJ in power. Given Jordan's total front office track record, that's not entirely surprising. Even the recent moves which have worked out -- namely, trading for Stephen Jackson -- might be the workings of Rod Higgins, Jordan's deputy, a man who was a part of the team that initially brought Jackson to Golden State. No one can ever really tell what exactly Jordan does in Charlotte. That's a problem when a team fails to make the playoffs repeatedly (though that ought to change this season).

No word on Postolos's purchase price, or who Jordan might recruit for backing. For reference, Johnson paid an expansion fee of $300 million to get into the league in 2004. Forbes lists the team's value at $278 million; the Bobcats are believed to have lost money in most if not all seasons of the team's existence.